Question: Let $f$ be a function taking the nonnegative integers to the nonnegative integers, such that
\[2f(a^2 + b^2) = [f(a)]^2 + [f(b)]^2\]for all nonnegative integers $a$ and $b.$

Let $n$ be the number of possible values of $f(25),$ and let $s$ be the sum of the possible values of $f(25).$  Find $n \times s.$
Solution: Setting $a = 0$ and $b = 0$ in the given functional equation, we get
\[2f(0) = 2f[(0)]^2.\]Hence, $f(0) = 0$ or $f(0) = 1.$

Setting $a = 0$ and $b = 1$ in the given functional equation, we get
\[2f(1) = [f(0)]^2 + [f(1)]^2.\]If $f(0) = 0,$ then $2f(1) = [f(1)]^2,$ which means $f(1) = 0$ or $f(1) = 2.$  If $f(0) = 1,$ then $[f(1)]^2 - 2f(1) + 1 = [f(1) - 1]^2 = 0,$ so $f(1) = 1.$

We divide into cases accordingly, but before we do so, note that we can get to $f(25)$ with the following values:
\begin{align*}
a = 1, b = 1: \ & 2f(2) = 2[f(1)]^2 \quad \Rightarrow \quad f(2) = [f(1)]^2 \\
a = 1, b = 2: \ & 2f(5) = [f(1)]^2 + [f(2)]^2 \\
a = 0, b = 5: \ & 2f(25) = [f(0)]^2 + [f(5)]^2
\end{align*}Case 1: $f(0) = 0$ and $f(1) = 0.$

From the equations above, $f(2) = [f(1)]^2 = 0,$ $2f(5) = [f(1)]^2 + [f(2)]^2 = 0$ so $f(5) = 0,$ and $2f(25) = [f(0)]^2 + [f(5)]^2 = 0,$ so $f(25) = 0.$

Note that the function $f(n) = 0$ satisfies the given functional equation, which shows that $f(25)$ can take on the value of 0.

Case 2: $f(0) = 0$ and $f(1) = 2.$

From the equations above, $f(2) = [f(1)]^2 = 4,$ $2f(5) = [f(1)]^2 + [f(2)]^2 = 20$ so $f(5) = 10,$ and $2f(25) = [f(0)]^2 + [f(5)]^2 = 100,$ so $f(25) = 50.$

Note that the function $f(n) = 2n$ satisfies the given functional equation, which shows that $f(25)$ can take on the value of 50.

Case 3: $f(0) = 1$ and $f(1) = 1.$

From the equations above, $f(2) = [f(1)]^2 = 1,$ $2f(5) = [f(1)]^2 + [f(2)]^2 = 2$ so $f(5) = 1,$ and $2f(25) = [f(0)]^2 + [f(5)]^2 = 2,$ so $f(25) = 1.$

Note that the function $f(n) = 1$ satisfies the given functional equation, which shows that $f(25)$ can take on the value of 1.

Hence, there are $n = 3$ different possible values of $f(25),$ and their sum is $s = 0 + 50 + 1 = 51,$ which gives a final answer of $n \times s = 3 \times 51 = \boxed{153}$.